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No Seat For You! April 12, 2017 |
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A We have proposed numerous times solutions to what airlines call “disruptive passengers” and what passengers often call airline abuse, to no avail. We After seeing that video and United Airlines response, blaming the passenger, no one believes that continuing to give airlines carte blanche to
The next time this happens we may well see passenger riots.
As Regards Paul Hudson |
The disturbing United Airlines video proves the time is now for government to step in and protect consumers. The cellphone clip fell on fertile soil, as the majority of Americans despise or even hate their major airlines. To recap, on Sunday four ‘must-ride’ United crew members needed to board a flight from Chicago to Louisville, Kentucky, When no passengers accepted an offer of a $400 voucher to be placed on a later flight, it upped the ante to $800 (plus a night in a hotel). That was enough to tempt two passengers to leave. At that point, rather than raising the price further, the crew randomly selected a pair of travelers, apparently using a computer (do gate agents have a special algorithm for this?). The unlucky flyers were told to collect their things and disembark. One man, who claimed to be a doctor with patients to attend to the next day, refused to go. The airline called for police back-up. Officers boarded the plane, and removed him against his will, to the obvious distress of both him and the other flyers.
Yet United was unrepentant, apologizing only for overbooking the flight, not the use of force. In classic Orwellian form, United released a statement:
The question becomes, at what point should total authority be granted to airline employees to use to deal with an overbooking? Never. The airlines’ ‘We-Do-This-To-Stop-Another-911’ argument – which hands them the right to do anything under the guise of public safety – has now worn very thin. Involuntary flight bumps should be illegal United’s gate staff chose to force a customer off the flight – risking physical harm – to him, and other passengers – so they could board an employee. This should be out of the question, if not illegal.
Last year, US airlines denied boarding to 40,000 passengers
According to an article from AP, the crew members approached the gate staff after the boarding was complete.
At the bare minimum, once you’re boarded and strapped in, your contract with the airline should be honored. Kate Hanni, FlyersRights founder said, “I think we call out both Congress and the President to make “air travel great again” by pointing out there seems to be no oversight by the Senate Oversight committee, no followup by FAA or executive branch, and no flying public consumer issues being considered due to the money free-flowing into Congress from the airlines and their well funded lobby.” United’s Contract of Carriage allows it to boot a passenger off for pretty much any reason. When was the last time you read it? It’s a nice read: https://www.united.com/web/en-US/content/contract-of-carriage.aspx United Airlines reported full-year profits of $2.3 billion in 2016 “Our fourth quarter financial and operating performance capped an outstanding year for United Airlines,” said United CEO Oscar Munoz in January 2017. “In 2016, we put into action our plan to become the best airline in the world, and last year’s results demonstrate we are on our way to achieving that ambition. We will continue delivering on this commitment by investing in our employees, elevating our customer experience and driving strong and consistent returns for our shareholders.” |
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When you find yourself on an oversold flight, your rights:
If you’re involuntarily denied boarding, the Department of Transportation regulates what you’re entitled to. Here are the rules, as published by the DOT:
As you can see, in many cases you’re Demand Cash: Airlines are required to pay via cash or check to flyers they bump involuntarily who are owed compensation. And, if you paid for extras such as premium seating or checked bag fees, a refund is required for services you didn’t receive. |
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